1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing electric wires with terminals by performing the steps of: measuring the length of an electric wire, cutting the electric wire to predetermined lengths, stripping insulative sheaths at both ends of the cut electric wire, and crimping terminals against both ends of the electric wire to produce a measured and processed electric wire. Numbers of measured and processed electric wires are bundled, for example, to manufacture a wiring harness.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wiring harness incorporated in an automobile, a copying machine or the like is constructed by bundling numbers of measured and processed electric wires. A measured and processed electric wire is an electric wire having a predetermined length obtained by cutting and having terminals crimped against both its ends. As an apparatus for producing measured and processed electric wires with terminals, an apparatus for cutting an electric wire to predetermined lengths, stripping insulative sheaths at both ends of the cut electric wire, and crimping terminals against both the ends of the electric wire has been known (see, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 270020/1992, for example).
Furthermore, an apparatus having a so-called intermediate portion stripping mechanism further added to the above described apparatus has been filed as a prior application by the applicant of the present invention (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 250935/1993).
Where measured and processed electric wires are produced by the above described apparatus according to the prior art, the contents of control of the apparatus must be changed if the conditions of production such as the length of an electric wire are changed. In some cases, electric wires must be replaced, or terminals and applicators for terminal crimping must be replaced. That is, if the conditions of production are changed, rearrangement work must be performed.
For example, consider a case where Q.sub.1 measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.1 are produced from an electric wire of the type A and then, Q.sub.2 measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.2 are produced from an electric wire of the same type A. In this case, control of the timing of cutting by the apparatus, for example, must be changed depending on a case where the former measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.1 are produced and a case where the latter measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.2 are produced.
Furthermore, consider a case where Q.sub.2 measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.2 are produced from an electric wire of the type A and then, Q.sub.3 measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.3 are produced from an electric wire of the type B and subsequently, Q.sub.4 measured and processed electric wires each having a length L.sub.4 are produced from an electric wire of the type C. In this case, the contents of control of the apparatus must be changed for each type of measured and processed electric wire to be produced. Moreover, electric wires must be replaced. Further, terminals or applicators for terminal crimping must be replaced and adjusted (a crimp height and a vinyl height must be adjusted) as the electric wires are replaced.
Processing for changing the contents of control and the contents of setting with the change in the conditions of production, that is, rearrangement is required several tens of times a day, for example, in one apparatus for producing electric wires with terminals. The reason for this is that one apparatus for producing electric wires with terminals generally produces several tens of types of measured and processed electric wires a day.
In the apparatus for producing electric wires with terminals, rearrangement work is thus frequently performed. Therefore, it is required that this rearrangement work can be simply and correctly performed in a short time and irrespective of the degree of skill of a worker, for example.
As the rearrangement on the apparatus for producing electric wires with terminals, the contents of control and components such as applicators have been conventionally changed after a worker judges the contents of the rearrangement. Therefore, time required for the rearrangement is liable to be long. In addition, time required for the rearrangement varies depending on the degree of skill, the degree of fatigue and the like of the worker.
Furthermore, the rearrangement work is performed several tens of times a day as described above. Therefore, the worker may, in some cases, erroneously read an information sheet on which the conditions of production are described or erroneously switches terminals, electric wires and the like.